Today I want to update you readers, and mamas out there on my cloth diapering experience so far. If you read my blog post Cloth Diapering 101 then you read about my plans and visions of grandeur for this diapering experience. You'd know that I plan to save the world one cloth diaper at a time, and that I alone hold the key to my kids, grandkids, and great grandkids future world because I won't be filling the landfills with thousands of unnecessary disposable diapers. Well, at least that's how I approached this goal...as pretty much anything else, I like to shoot for the moon!
My plan was simple, for the first week after baby A's arrival I planned to use these seventh generation plant based, chemical free disposable diapers while my milk came in and he had eliminated all of the meconium from his system. If you don't know what meconium is, it's the dark green, tar-like feces that makes up a newborn's first few bowel movements...isn't motherhood GLAMOROUS!?! :D Anyway, I had read numerous blogs suggesting to use disposable diapers through this time period, because unlike breast fed baby poo, this stuff is hard to wash out of your cloth diapers. Quite honestly I find it hard to completely wipe off your baby during diaper changes without feeling like you're taking a layer of skin with it! He quickly worked the meconium out of his system having multiple dirty diapers each day (he's an over achiever already!) and by the time his umbilical cord stump fell off, it was time to roll up my sleeves and put my big girl pants on!
I was so prepared, I had done my research, my homework, I had practiced how to use the diapers, the snappies, the diaper covers...I was already a pro in my mind! Then, the moment of truth...it was a good thing Tri was not very squirmy because I was all thumbs, fumbling, getting frustrated, worrying...and alas, the diaper was on! I promptly took his picture to document my success, shared it with family members, and went about our day. I spoke with my midwife at length about cloth diapering, because she has four kids and a lot of experience with it, and she's also my hero! Sarah suggested changing the cloth diapers every 2 hours, especially at the newborn stage, but she said after that length of time, you could have a mess exiting the diaper. So, two hours on the dot I went to change Tri's diaper...I unsnapped his diaper cover to reveal a soaked through diaper insert. Unlike disposable diapers, that wick the wetness away, the prefold insert was soaked when I touched it...I guess I don't know what exactly I expected, but I was disappointed. I felt like a bad mother letting my child soak through this cloth, sitting with a wet diaper around him, I felt like a failure, I started questioning my crusade...my very being! I got a dry insert, put it underneath him, wiped him down, and using the snappie, fashioned a dry diaper on him, and then snapped up the diaper cover. The wet inserts go into a 'wet bag' which is essentially a zip up cloth bag with a waterproof lining.
After about 3 days of cloth diapering I was beginning to get the hang of it, I didn't feel so bad about his wet diapers, and changed them frequently enough that they aren't always completely soaked...but still wet. I also ditched the snappies because they are a pain to try and put on the diaper and feel confident that nothing sharp will impale your tiny child...and because really with the diaper covers I have, I've found it's easier without them! Mine and my husband's favorite inserts for ease of use as well as containing messes, are also the cheapest ones I bought, the prefolds! That's good news looking ahead because I'll need more and bigger sizes as Tri gets older, and they are very cost effective.
Each of the diaper covers I bought have some pros and cons. I know there are a lot of different ones out there, but the three brands I went with were Flips, Thirsties, & GroVia. I went with a diaper cover that snaps down on itself to fit a newborn, and then you can unsnap it to make it bigger as the baby grows. So far they are all easy to put on, and they are all cute. The GroVia are the softest on the inside with a microfleece lining, and I love that, because it's soft against baby's skin...but I usually notice leakage into the leg gussets with a really poopy diaper :/ The Thirsties are easy to use, have a double leg gusset, and are easy to snap. However, where it snaps along the waistline, the snap closures are all in the same row...whereas the Flips close very similarly, but have two snaps at the closure, in two rows, so to me it looks like a more comfortable fit. I of course haven't worn any of them, and Tri can't talk yet, so the jury's out on whether or not this has any truth to it! Honestly though, the ONLY blowout diapers that Tri has had where it goes up his back, you know the ones...has been in a disposable diaper!
The part I was most dreading I guess was washing the diapers. After talking with Sarah, however, I learned all kinds of tricks and methods to make this dirty task less daunting. She told me that strictly breastfed baby's diapers can be washed in the washer without needing rinsed or sprayed off first...UNLESS I wanted to. Before you throw up in your mouth...give it a moment and read on. Breastfed baby poop really doesn't have a smell, and it like disintegrates in water. Has your baby ever had a blowout and you soak their super cute outfit in soapy water, or wash it off? Then you've experienced this celestial wonder. Let's get some things on record here...I only wash Tri's diapers with other diapers. I don't wash diapers with clothes and blankets, etc. Although I could. I bring his wetbag down to the wash, unzip it and empty it into the washer, then I throw the wetbag in with everything else, and I run my washer on HOT, with an extra rinse cycle, NO SOAP- this is round 1. Round 2- I put in a little Mrs. Meyers laundry detergent and about a teaspoon of Hydrogen Peroxide, and set the washer to 'HEAVY DUTY' (obviously for the doody) with an extra rinse cycle, on WARM, and I walk away to eat chocolate and drink wine...or to let the washer do it's thing. :D
Once the diapers are washed you have 2 options... 1)hang them to dry, either in your laundry room, or in the sun (faster and the sun bleaches out any stains they might have). Or 2) put them in the dryer (even faster) but DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT put dryer sheets in with the diapers, because they will leave oils & residue in the diapers that will make them less absorbent...and may create a funky smell. (or so I've read & I'm not willing to make that gamble!) I wash diapers about every other day, Tri goes to daycare and our provider was willing to use the cloth diapers, she agreed they aren't a big deal once you get the hang of it! My mom and sister have watched me change a cloth diaper, but haven't done it yet...not that I make it a habit to have other people change my child's diaper, but they were inquisitive. When Tri goes to grandmas, or is in someone else's care, we send him with the seventh generation, plant based disposable diapers (gasp!) I know I know...who am I? And when we put on his nighttime diaper, it's again the disposable seventh generation ones...truly I do feel a tad less of superhero by doing this, BUT he's a fantastic sleeper!!! He'll sleep 9-11 hours through the night and I am not a crazy woman, I am NOT going to wake him up for a diaper change! Alas, that leaves me no choice but to use a disposable through the night, he's happy, I'm happy, we both sleep great, and I still feel better about really cutting down on the use of disposable diapers!
I still feel good about my choice to cloth diaper my boy...when he starts on solid foods that will definitely make my life a little less rainbows & butterflies. When they eat real food...poop gets real. I'll be doing some rinsing...some spraying, some scraping, I'm not even sure yet what will happen, but it won't be as easy as it is right now :/ So, until we start on foods...this is my update!
